Warning: Spoilers for Power Girl #14!The “daughter of Steel“has truly deserved his honors as a member of the Superman Family. Readers may be most familiar with the original Steel, John Henry Irons, as he is most notably (and unfortunately) recognized for being played by Shaq in the character’s disappointing first live-action appearance. John Henry is much more respected in the comics – but so is his family, Natasha Irons.
Natasha Irons’ version of Steel has been marking its presence throughout the Power Girl series, most recently in Power Girl #14 by Leah Williams, Adriana Melo, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Becca Carey. In more recent years, Natasha has emerged in DC Comics as one of the newest superhero leaders defending Metropolis – three of which appear on the magazine’s cover. Power Girl #17 by Yanick Paquette.
Natasha’s Steel has been one of the Superman Family’s most forgotten heroes, but in Power Girl, she is becoming much more than just another companion. By understanding who Natasha Irons is and the role she plays Power Girlreaders will have to agree that the “new” Steel is shaping up to be DC’s best rising star.
Who is Natasha Irons from the Superman family?
The New Steel, Explained
Natasha Irons (or Nat for short) makes her New 52 panel debut in 2012 Action comics #7 by Grant Morrison, Rags Morales, Rick Bryant, Brad Anderson and Pat Brosseau, but it originally debuted in 1994 Steel #1 by Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove and Chris Batista. Nat is a young technology genius and the niece of the original Steel, John Henry Irons.who spent more time raising Nat than his own father did. Her father in question, Clay Irons, has always been too busy living the criminal life of an arms dealer to raise his children, leaving young Natasha and her younger brother, Ezekiel, in the frequent care of Uncle John and Lana Lang.
Natasha thrived, becoming something more than just a science prodigy: a superhero.
After her brother’s kidnapping, Natasha buried her pain in science, where she excelled. Since then, she has thrived, becoming something more than just a science prodigy: a superhero. In an effort to help his aunt – superwoman Lana Lang – and uncle with their superhero duties, Natasha rebranded herself into a new age of Steel by creating a metal armor she designed herself. Now, especially since Nat has returned from helping Superman in Warworld, the Irons are the two figures behind Steelworks, as they use their technology behind the scenes and their superhero efforts up front to lead Metropolis into a bright future.
Natasha Irons had some kind of presence in the Power Girl goes back to its first edition. Even though she herself does not appear in the issue, her family’s company Steelworks (in conjunction with the Daily Planet) hosted the first annual Black Tie Benefit concert, the setting for the issue’s conflict. From then on, Natasha Irons makes sporadic but significant appearances throughout the series, all of which show her as a competent and skilled heroine.
The role of steel in Power Girl Gives her the perfect new place in the Superman family
Natasha Irons shines brightest in Power Girl
For example, Power Girl #11 by Williams and Melo centers on Paige’s first encounter with the mysterious Axel Gust, later revealed to be DC’s newest Loki-like character. The sudden appearance of Aquus, an aquatic supervillain, at the Metropolis Aquarium forces Axel and Paige to reveal their powers, to the shock of both parties. They are too caught up in their own shock to combat the beast. Fortunately, Steel arrives on the scene. While Power Girl and the Asgardian fight in the background, Natasha Irons defeats the monster and helps citizens evacuate in the background.
In short, although the title character does not get to play an active role in her own story, Steel makes things. The trend continues in the last two editions of Power Girlwhere Natasha plays an even bigger role. First, in Power Girl #13 by Williams and Melo, Natasha and Power Girl’s best friend Omen attend a gala, with Natasha representing Steelworks, in Downtown Metropolis. The gala is interrupted by the emergence of Ejecta, a supposed hero with dark powers that the real heroes are only beginning to understand.
As Ejecta attacks Omen, Natasha immediately goes into Steel Mode to evacuate the citizens as the building collapses around her. In Power Girl #14, Natasha has a much greater presence, appearing throughout the issue not as a background character, but as one of the biggest voices in the supporting cast. She investigates Ejecta alongside Power Girl, trains Omen during recovery, helps fight Ejecta later, and catches Omen as she, a hero of the Superman family, falls to her apparent death.
Steel left its mark across the DC universe in the years that followed Infinite Frontier
Where else has Natasha Irons appeared?
Power Girl is not the only series in which Steel leaves her mark, as she has also been an active participant in both Action comics and Superman in recent years, working directly with the Man of Steel, especially when he traveled to Warworld to free the oppressed Mongul people. Superman, on numerous occasions, has expressed their approval and respect for Natasha as Metropolis’ heroine, and it’s easy to see why. John Henry Irons passed his love and admiration for Superman to his niece, and she is able to make her idol proud every time she takes the field as a superhero.
For more information on Superman’s Warworld mission, check out the World of War Saga collection by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and various artists, available now from DC Comics.
Along with the series starring Superman, Natasha had special prominence this year in Steel industry miniseries that starred both versions of Steel. Although Power Girl and – to an even greater extent – Action comics and Superman kept Natasha Irons in the background or supporting role, Steel industry ensures Natasha is always front and center, sharing the Steel mantle and company functions with his uncle. The series is an indicator of Nat’s full potential as a hero in the DCU.
Steel is ready to join the Superman family
DC needs to embrace Natasha’s potential as a solo hero
Since she has been the most underrated and overlooked actress in the Superman Family, Steel has been slowly rising through the ranks in the DC Universe. The Dawn of DC era, which existed largely to push newer heroes to the forefront of the DC Universe, saw Natasha’s presence grow in several comics. In turn, Natasha herself has begun to grow as a hero, to the point where it can be argued that she is slowly starting to surpass the original Steel. At the very least, it can be said that she is equivalent to John Henry Irons’ heroine status.
Natasha Irons has a reputation for being a capable companion and partner to the likes of John, Power Girl, and of course Superman when they work together. However, Natasha is slowly reaching a point where she is able to stand on her own two feet as a hero. She is becoming more than just a companion. She’s becoming a capable solo hero, and it won’t be long before Steel will receive the spotlight to prove itself as such, without the need for Superman Family to support her.
Power Girl #14 is now available from DC Comics.
Steel is a 1997 film directed by Kenneth Johnson, featuring Shaquille O’Neal as John Henry Irons, a weapons designer who becomes a vigilante after his research is exploited by a ruthless arms dealer. With the help of his expertise in metallurgy and technology, Irons builds a powerful suit of armor to fight for justice and protect his community from the dangerous weapons he helped create.